1. Ash's Story (Part 8: Ancient Sinnoh and Ultra Dimensions)

Chapter 48

Upon stepping out of the portal, I noticed Lillie walking alongside me. Alice rushed over to Lillie, embracing her warmly. "Lillie! You're back!"

"Thank you for your concern... I'm sorry for causing you to worry," Lillie expressed while reciprocating the embrace.

Glancing at my alternate self, I offered a smile before merging into a singular being once more. Absol and Zoroark showed their delight in reuniting with Espeon and Pikachu by sharing a heartfelt hug among themselves.

Rei seamlessly reverts to my brother's form, while simultaneously, my other brother Palmer emerges from the portal alongside Professor Mohn. "Professor Mohn!" Dia exclaimed in astonishment. "You've been alive all this while?"

Palmer explained, "It appears he's been residing in the Ultra Metropolis, devoid of memories. The silver lining is that he recognizes Lillie as his daughter and is eager to recollect his past."

Glancing at my Ultra Space GPS, I remarked, "Oddly enough, time seems frozen here, yet our experiences make it feel like we've journeyed through months..."

Alice and Lillie chimed in together, "Absolutely." They look at each other with confusion.

At that moment, my mom and dad emerged from the house, and I greeted them with a smile. "Mom, Dad... we're back."

My mom enveloped me in a warm hug, expressing, "It mustn't have been easy for you. Traveling through time and space... though it's only been hours for us since you left..."

Dad chimed in, "How have your journeys been? Is everything alright?"

"Everything's been good," Dia reassured them. "The Hisui of the past is truly remarkable. We faced challenges, but everything resolved positively in the end."

Palmer eagerly added, "And in the Ultra Space, you won't believe who we've encountered!"

Both my parents beamed with joy at the sight of Professor Mohn once again. Alice voices her confusion, "Wait... wasn't he deceased? Didn't your Dad transform him into a Silvally?"

"I believe that's not accurate. It seems Silvally was created precisely when Professor Mohn was plunged into the Ultra Wormholes... and everyone misunderstood what happened," I explains. "This Ultra Space GPS confirms it."

"Where did you get that Ultra Space GPS?" Palmer inquired upon noticing the watch.

"It's a gift from an alternate dimension," I revealed. "While Dia, Alice, and I were in Hisui completing quests to create the first Sinnoh Pokedex, Lillie and I, accompanied by Captain Phyco and Soliera, have been traversing dimensions, encountering different versions of ourselves."

"Does that mean you've encountered different versions of me too?" Alice inquires eagerly, while Lillie adds, "Certainly. Speaking of which, I brought back some souvenirs. We can take a look at them later."

"It appears you've returned safely." We turn to see Captain Phyco and Soliera approaching us. I inquire, "Captain Phyco! Soliera! Was the issue resolved?"

Soliera reassures us, saying, "No need to worry. It seems that you and your companions in that realm formed the Ultra Guardians, and they are now aiding in returning the Ultra Beasts to their rightful world. Everything is proceeding smoothly."

Captain Phyco chimes in, "Additionally, we owe you an apology. Due to our miscalculations, you traveled through seven more worlds before finally reaching home. Now as the leader of the Ultra Recon Squad..."

He presented two badges to me and Lillie. "You are now official members of the Ultra Recon Squad. We hope for further cooperation in the days ahead."

Lillie and I smiled gratefully, expressing our thanks, "Thank you very much, Captain."